Verrill Farm

Sustainable agriculture at Verrill Farm encompasses a myriad of practices and activities from soil improvement to the support of community life. After more than three centuries of production, our soils are still among the most productive in the country. We use cover crops and crop rotation extensively, till the soil to limit erosion, and work to maintain fertility and organic matter. IPM (integrated pest management) is at the center of our cropping program. We employ a professional crop scout, who makes weekly visits setting insect traps, taking soil and tissue samples as needed, monitoring pest problems, and making general recommendations for disease and pest control. The farm is certified under MA’s Commonwealth Quality Program and follow the guidelines for soil protection, compost and manure applications, irrigation water quality, and sanitation standards. We also use drip irrigation on many of our crops which reduces water use by 50% or more!